04/24/24
September 16, 2007
Man catches historic home run ball and...does what?!:
He does what we always lie to ourselves that we'd do if in the same circumstance.
I was going to point out how this just goes to show how classy Chicagoans are or how it fits in with the blue collar ethos of White Sox fandom but then I read the article to find out that this guy has to go out and give Texas a good name. But hey, he's from Austin, and everyone knows that's not really Texas what with all the tech stuff and music and all that other good stuff. (Just kidding, Texans!!)
posted by holden at 10:42 PM on September 16, 2007
Don't be silly grum... He hasn't flown home yet.
posted by bnlfanmatt at 10:53 PM on September 16, 2007
This seems to be the year of random travellers finding themselves serendipitously thrown into baseball history. This guy sounds like the Mother Teresa of baseball fans -- for giving up the ball, they give him season tickets and he gives those away to charity. There are no lengths to which he won't go to not strike it rich off the deal. Good for him, I say. I have to wonder, of course -- and not in a cynical way, but just as a curiosity -- what he would have done if he had caught the Bonds ball. Regardless, he has a new fan in me. Buried under this goodwill gesture are Thome's nearly-as-awesome intentions: "Thome has said for days as he approached the mark that he wanted the ball back and planned to drive with his father to deliver it to the Hall of Fame." That is really, really cool.
posted by The Crafty Sousepaw at 11:27 PM on September 16, 2007
What kind of sports fan is not out to exploit these overpaid spoiled athletes when they get a chance? It's actually kind of sad that this is the exception and not the standard. Real class, good for this guy, the player and the organization.
posted by Familyman at 06:00 AM on September 17, 2007
What a disgrace!! I cannot believe that someone would do everything in the powers to not want to reach in the pocket of some high-paid athlete. Someone that doesn't have an ulterior motive and cash in on a Hall of Fame memorabilia. See, this is what being a fan is all about. It isn't about going to a game and catching a record breaking 'lottery ticket', it's about going to a game and enjoying yourself and being humble in a situation like this. Not trying to be set for life just because you so happen to be the lucky fan who caught the ball but doing exactly what this guy did. Alright, who am I trying to kid? Man, I would've had a price tag attached to this ball before I even thought about handing it over. I would've been like Deebo from the movie Friday, "What you got on my 40? Lemme' check your pockets" /tongue in cheek
posted by BornIcon at 06:48 AM on September 17, 2007
I always knew grum was a big softie. Nice story.
posted by The_Black_Hand at 06:59 AM on September 17, 2007
At last! A good story about someone. The sad part is that when I done some soul searching on my own part is that I came up short. I myself would have went for the money. It is GOOD to see someone else be a fan of the game and do a good deed. Great Story.
posted by skeet0311 at 07:13 AM on September 17, 2007
Since Jim Thome is regarded as one of the nicer people in the game of baseball, it seems only fitting that a genuinely nice person would catch the home run ball. What a truly good thing to do. Not wanting to brag, but I really don't think I would have tried to sell the ball. It probably would not have been worth nearly the $750K that the Bonds ball went for. Of course, I would have held out for Red Sox season tickets, and you would have had to pry them out of my cold dead hands.
posted by Howard_T at 08:29 AM on September 17, 2007
What's so wrong with a little redistribution of wealth?
posted by bperk at 09:18 AM on September 17, 2007
It's just a shame this accountant is also a steroid user...
posted by hincandenza at 10:25 AM on September 17, 2007
I would like to chime in here as well with compliments on a nice feel-good about humanity sports story. And now back to your regularly programmed cynicism.
posted by THX-1138 at 10:42 AM on September 17, 2007
I think Will Stewart just got a great BIG checkmark in the "Good" column in the big book of Life. And what he did with the tickets was really nice! Cool to see the White Sox are going to fly him in for a game in the future. Great to see someone being nice just to be nice, with no agenda.
posted by steelergirl at 10:56 AM on September 17, 2007
This guy's not the saint we think he his. I hear he's been following the Sox the last couple weeks, and there are rumors he had a camera often aimed in the dugout.
posted by SummersEve at 11:07 AM on September 17, 2007
This guy's not the saint we think he his. I hear he's been following the Sox the last couple weeks, and there are rumors he had a camera often aimed in the dugout. Good stuff, that made my day!!
posted by BornIcon at 12:26 PM on September 17, 2007
"Thome has said for days as he approached the mark that he wanted the ball back and planned to drive with his father to deliver it to the Hall of Fame." That is really, really cool. Agreed.
posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 02:08 PM on September 17, 2007
Would this ball really have netted that big of a windfall? I mean, it's only 500. AGNP
posted by AaronGNP at 04:07 PM on September 17, 2007
I only have two things to say: Pure class. And "Will Stewart gonna get laid!"
posted by worldcup2002 at 06:22 PM on September 17, 2007
Barry Bonds doesn't seem to think too highly of Mark Ecko.
posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 04:23 PM on September 19, 2007
...and then on the flight home he saved a small child from choking, revived a nun who had a heart attack, and rescued an itty-bitty puppy from the baggage compartment.